Monday, November 9, 2009

It's Monday and that means my eighth edition of "Follow Me Monday"! Today I'm going to discuss CVS shopping! Before posting the video, I thought it would be good to do a quick overview of how to shop CVS.

The first step to take, before you can even begin shopping, is to either go to CVS or online here and fill out the Extra Care membership form. The benefit of going in the store is you will be able to get the card immediately, rather then having to wait two weeks for it to come in the mail.

Once you have your Extra Care card you'll be able to start earning Extra Care Bucks! Extra Care Bucks (ECB) are CVS rewards that will give you money back to spend in the store however you please. There are a couple of different ways you can earn Extra Care Bucks:

First, you will earn 2% cash back on every purchase in store and online. Every three months these Extra Bucks will print out at the end of your receipt. You can also earn one Extra Care buck for every two prescriptions purchased in the store or online.

... And finally, the main way to earn Extra Care Bucks is by flipping through the weekly ad. In the ad you will find products advertised that will generate Extra Care Bucks when purchased. The best part is that you can also use manufacturer coupons and/or CVS coupons to really lower your out of pocket expense. They also often have promotions where a product is FREE after Extra Care Bucks-- meaning if you purchase something for $3.99, you will get back $3.99 in Extra Care Bucks. Plus, you can use coupons on these type of items to "make money" after Extra Care bucks!

After you get one or two Extra Care Bucks you can start "rolling" them. This basically means that you'll be able to use the Extra Care Bucks you've already earned to pay for new Extra Care Buck Deals. If you keep doing this week after week you'll spend very little out of pocket... possibly only $1-$2 per transaction!

Finally, my favorite part about CVS shopping, is that they often have money off store coupons available. Currently, you can print a $5 off $30 coupon and $5 off $20 coupon. Use these coupons BEFORE your manufacturer and CVS coupons to really sweeten all the Extra Care Buck Deals and sale items!

I'm glad I saw you in your tulle jacket because mine is short too and I didn't know if it was supposed to cover more. Way to go on the candy bars. I've locked up my candy (Fannie May, other deals) downstairs so that I don't break into any. I have no CVS, but of course I watched anyway. Great tips!

Did you print 2 copies of the $5 off of $20 coupon and use one on both transactions? I've already used it once but I printed an extra and I'm wondering if I can use it again or if it will beep. Thanks! Love your website. :)

I love this video! I normally coupon at Kroger and Publix only, but I'll be checking out CVS now for sure. Not sure about coconut chocolate, but I'll give it a whirl. I love your REAL video! You make us feel like we're all your friend. My blog is crumbsinmybutter.com. I'm going to put your link on there today!

Collin I love your hints.. I always thought I was a coupon gurue until My daughter showed me this place.. I love the videos it really helps to SEE how its done.. I have told so many others about his site too.. I was in Target and had extra coupons and shared with some other shoppers and they asked where I get them and I told them about here!!! SPREAD THE LOVE.. yes!

I am so new to CVS but I follow your blog every week... I thought it would be harder to shop CVS than it is... SHOCKER... it's super easy! I LOVE LOVE LOVE this store! Great job on the follow me mondays!

When do you get your extra care bucks? Is it every three months, or each time you shop? The way you explain it, it sounds like it is instant but when i just read it while signing up, it says every three months it will print. I find it confusing. I am new to this.

"Mental Math Break"... ha, ha, ha.. hilarious. Thanks for another great video. I watch all your videos even though I know how the deals work. I actually like the deals you point out, I would not have noticed otherwise.

I also wanted to mention that CVS also has a little machine inside where you can scan your card and it will give you a coupon. I got a $5 off a $15 purchase yesterday which worked out great! Love your videos!!

I just watched the video on my iPhone while sitting in my car waiting for my hubby to come out of a store. I laughed SO LOUD when you took your "Mental Math Break". OMG! I could almost hear crickets chirping during that break! LOL! People in that parking lot must think I'm crazy! SOOOOOOO funny!!!

Thanks for another wonderful installment and thanks also for the laughs. Too cute!

New to your sight and LOVE IT!! I have found my self addidcted to it -- this means my housework is suffering but my wallet is not. I was super excited today when I paid only .80 for a tub of Huggies wipes (CVS receipt coupon and mfg combo). Thanks for inspiring me!! YOU ROCK!!

Two things you did not mention - when you go into the store scan your card on the little red machines and coupons will print out - do this everytime. Also, my stores will stack the 5/25 coupons with the 4/20 coupons and the 3/15 coupons that your get. Also, my store will take these when they are expired. Also, once I got a 7/49 and I stacked it with a 5/30 and a 4/20 and then used coupons and ECB's It was truly amazing. I would love to know if others have been able to stack these - I keep worrying they will stop.

I don't think the stores down south have been blessed with the little red machines yet...off topic question...has anyone printed a certificate from Hollywood movie money for Cloudy with a chance of meatballs? Now that I have the activation email the movie is not playing anywhere within a 50 mile radius!! What a waste of time! Do you have to use the certificate for that specific movie? Thanks for the help!

I am new to couponing and have been doing WAGS a for about 5 weeks. I decided to start CVS this week so this was perfect timing. I just started small though, just did 1 deal. Hope to be a master soon :)

This is totally off the subject but I got my Nerf darts that were offered as a "rebate" of sort if you bought Nerf Striker guns today. I got 4 packs with 8 darts per packet times 8 packets and four packages. This is over 200 darts (64 per package of darts. I was so impressed with what was sent for FREE and I got 4 guns (with coupons) for kids for Xmas and now darts will be everywhere!

I love how you are "normal" like the rest of us. I can't do math on the fly either. You're the best and can't wait each Monday to see your next one. Keep up the GREAT work. I have to try that coconut chocolate. I love coconut and would have never look at this.

I have a quick question about CVS. I see they have in-store coupons on their website that you can print. Can I use these in-store coupons and stack them with manufacturer's coupons from the newspaper? I've always been too "scared" of the beep to try it.

I love CVS!! I have been rolling ECBs for almost a year. It really helps me to sit down with a pencil and calculator and figure it all out before I go and shop. Then I have a pretty good idea of how much I will end up spending. This is especially true if I was going to use a $5.00 off 20.00 coupon then you know you will get to the 20.00 mark. That total is before any other coupons or ECBs you would use, so like Collin said you can get a great deal if you plan your shopping out. I always give the $ of $$ coupon first then any other CVS coupons, then manufactuer coupons, then ECBs last. I do the ECBs last because if the total is less than what your ECBs are you can throw in a filler item. So if your total out of pocket was say $5.00 and the ECB you wanted to use toward your purchase was $6.00 you can just throw something in for a dollar so you don't "lose" your 1.00. One last thing, I always check to make sure my ECBs print out on my recipet for the purchases that I made because once in a while they don't. If they don't just tell the cashier and they can manually print them out.

Your are so crazy! lol crazy good though lol I love your videos and look forward to seeing even more. You have really inspired me to cut those coupons and save money. My finances have changed ever since I subscribed to your site. Thank you!

Great video! I tackeled CVS when I first started couponing because it was so much easier for a beginner. That mental math break was totaly me! I can't tell you how many times I've been in a aisle with my calculator trying to figure out the best way to purchase my items.Your the best! Thanks for a great website! It's my favorite and the one I recomend to all new couponers!

Please note you DO NOT get cash back from EBs though if your total is less than the EB you are trying to pay with. One of two things can happen: 1. either the EB will be adjusted down to your total (you essentially lose money) OR you can buy filler items to get your total up.

Check out Collins CVS info page, it really covers alot and is a great explanation!

We don't have CVS here in Salem, OR, but of course I watched anyway! :) You are so cute and fun! I too cracked up at your mental math break! I'm almost relieved that we don't have CVS because I already spend too much time at Walgreens and Rite Aid every week, but now after learning more about the program...I hope it comes sometime soon! :)

not sure if you mentioned, but our CVS has a extra care card scanner in the store that I always scan my card as soon as entering the store. It'll then print out coupons for you to use and occasionally extra care bucks!

also, not sure if you mentioned their green bag tag - $0.99 for the tag, but for every 4 times you swipe the tag while checking out (and supposedly having your own check out bag, even though my cashier said I just needed to give her the tag) you'll get $1.00 ECB!

Everytime you do one of these videos I learn something new! I didn't know about the walmart and huggies pullup wipes which I had and have let expire before too so I snagged those after you posted the walmart one. Now I'm learning about the shavers have 2 of those coupons and I have 6 of the $4/2 for the roliads =) I'm a happy camper plus you've gotten me to venture into target and now I'm about to do the same for CVS. I don't know I was always the skeptic about couponing at both!!!

I actually work at a CVS in Bremen, IN. At our store we still take your extra bucks even if they are expired. That is your money coming back to you, how should it figure that it expires? Extra care is a great program for customers. I even had a customer come in and buy over$100 worth of merchandise. What did they pay after coupons, extra bucks, etc.? Less than a dollar for taxes. :-) Happy hunting!